i would like to find a species of wood that carves good sands smooth easily and is inexpensive. Right now i am going to try aromatic cedar. the wood needs to be as clear as possible. i will be needing the final sized blanks to be around 6" wide 3 inches thick and 12 " in length can be machined quickly with out splintering and with minimal checking and can be sourced locally here in Houston, Texas. I will be carving shapes like half of a soda bottle. they will probably be painted so color is not an issue. thank you in advance,Michael

Michael,Basswood is our choice and is great carving wood, no splinters, light and machines like butter. It is less $ than maple where we are. It is really soft though so handling is key after carving. Hope your project goes well.